Pneumatic attachment for binders or headers.



. No; 689,800. Patented Dec. 24,'l90l. E. HAFEBMEHL. I

PNEUMATIC ATTACHMENT FOB 'BINDEBS 0R HEADERS.

(Applica tion filed In. 23, 1901.)

(lo Model.)

UNITED STAT PATENT OFFICE.-

EDWARD HAFERMEHL, OF GU THRIE, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY.

PNEUMATIC ATTACHMENTFOR BINDERS OR HEADE RS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 689,800, dated December24, 1901.

Application filed March 23, 1901. Serial No. 52,583. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.

Be it known that I, EDWARD HAFERMEHL, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Guthrie, in the county of Logan and Territory of Oklahoma,have invented a new and the grain into engagement with the cutter--knives and throwing it onto the platform is the ordinary reel, theconstruction and operation of which are well known; For standing grainand grain that is only partially beaten down it is effective; but wherethe grain-is beaten flat to the ground it is ineffective to perform thefunction for which it is designed. Moreover, by the contact of thereel-blades with the heads of the grain overripe cereals will be beatenout and wasted, thus entailing a considerable loss. Y

To accomplish the object stated and to obviate the objections abovenoted, I employ in lieu of the reel a pneumatic blast, which will bethoroughly effective to throw the grain first against the cutting-knivesand then onto 7 the platform conveyor whether the grain be standing orlying flat upon the ground, and by the employment of the air-blast Ieffectually prevent any beating out of overripe cereals.

In accomplishing the objects sought to be attained it is immaterial"whether the air be projected in jets closely assembled or in a solidsheet, the desideratum being that the impingement of the air against thegrain shall be of such force and character as to bring the grain againstthe cutterknives and then throw it onto the apron.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andin which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts, I haveillustrated a form of embodiment of myinvention capable of carrying thesame into effect, it being understood that other forms of embodimentthereof may be employed without departing from the spirit of the same,and in these drawings Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the conveyorportion of a grain-binder, showing my improvements attached thereto.Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section through one of the jet pipes ornozzles, showing more particularly the contour of the outlet-opening inthe discharge end of the nozzle. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view ofaportion of a modified blast-delivery device.

' Referring to the drawings, A designates an ordinary p'latform conveyerof agralin-binder, drivenby a suitable mechanism, (not necessary to bedescribed.) At one side of this con- 'veyer an inclined apron isarranged, and to the side pieces a there are secured brackets asupporting a platform a which may be composed of a strip of wood or, ifpreferred, of pipe. Upon theplatform a is arranged a seat a for theoperator. Arranged in front of the conveyer beyond the cutting apparatusand extending parallel therewith is an air-conveyer pipe B, closed'atone end and carrying a plurality of nozzles b,which may be straightor-preferably, as shown, curved, the end of each nozzle being covered bya cap 19 provided with a transverse slot 5 the function of-Which willappear later on. The pipe B is secured at one end to a T-joint b, to thefree member 0 of which is connected one end of a bar I), the other endof which is secured to a pivoted disk b journaled on the platform, towhich disk is also secured a lever b carrying at or near its lower end aspring catch orpawl b to traverse a segmental rack-plate receivingmotion from the binder mechanism.

On the other end of the shaft 0 is secured a bevel-gear 0 which mesheswith a similar gear 0 carried bya shaft 0, having bearings in a casingc,the latter containing an ordinary downdraft blast-fan, (not necessaryto be shown.) Connected with the lower portion of the casing or at anyother appropriate point is a flexible tube a which is attached to theopen or free end of the conveyer-pipe B, and through this pipe 0 the airfrom the fan-casing passes to the conveyer-pipe B and thence out throughthe nozzles.

As herein shown, the air is projected in jets toward the conveyer andpreferably in an upward direction; but it is to be understood that I donot limit myself to this particnlar manner of projecting the air, as thesame may be blown out in a solid sheet,which could be eifected byflattening out the nozzlecap, and thus extending the width of thedischarge-openings b or, if preferred, in some instances I mightdispense entirely with the nozzles and simply provide the conveyer-pipewith openings for the purpose, as shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the device is as follows: The grain-binder being put inmotion, the fan through the mechanism described will be rapidly rotated,thereby causing air to be fed to the conveyer-pipe B under considerablepressure. The air in escaping will blow the stalks of grain against thecutter-knives and then over upon the conveyer, substantiallyin themanner shown in Fig. 1. Should the grain be standing, the conveyer-pipewill be raised a considerable distance above the ground; but should thegrain be lying flat the conveyer-pipe will be dropped or lowered closeto the ground. It will be apparent that in the operation of this deviceit is immaterial as to the condition of the grain. As herein shown, thedischarge of air is always at right angles to the line of movement ofthe con- Veyer; but it is to be understood that I do not wish to beconfined to this exact line of projection of air. It is also to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the exact arrangement of partsherein shown, as they may be dilferently-arranged and widely departedfrom and still be within the scope of my invention.

The object of the horizontal transverse slot 1) is to equalize thepressure and also to concentrate the force in a horizontal direction, soas to produce a level draft of wind and throwthe wheat in a uniformmanner on the canvas conveyer. The improvement may also be used onheading-machines in the same manner. I have not shown such application,but I desire it to be understood that this use of my invention is withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the supportingframe of a grain binder or header,of a blastgenerating apparatus supported thereon, a rigid blast-deliverypipe disposed in front of the cutting and conveyingmechanism, a flexibleair-pipe connecting the rigid deliverypipe with the blast-generatingapparatus, a support carrying the delivery-pipe and hinged or pivoted tothe frame of the machine, and means for swinging the support in avertical direction to adjustably raise and lower the delivery-pipe.

2. The combination with the supportingframe of a grain binder or header,of a blastfan rigidly supported thereon, a blast-delivery pipe arrangedin front of the cutting and conveying mechanism, a flexible connectionbetween the blast-fan and the said pipe, and combined supporting andshifting means supported on the frame and connected with the p Thecombination with the conveyer of a grain binder or header, of anair-conveying pipe arranged contiguous thereto and carrying a pluralityof discharge-nozzles, and blast mechanism in communication with the saidme. p 4. The combination with the conveyer ofa grain binder or header,of an air-conveying pipe closed at one end, a plurality of nozzlescarried thereby and having their discharge ends facing toward theconveyer, blast mechanism in communication with the air-convey-*ing'pipe, and raising and lowering mechanism connected with theair-conveying pipe.

5. The combination with the conveyor of a grain binder or header, of aplatform, a shaft supported in suitable bearings thereon and driven fromthe binder mechanism, a bevelgear carried by the shaft, a fan-casingalso supported on the platform and having a shaft carrying a bevel-gearin mesh with the firstnamed gear, an air-distributing pipe carrying aplurality of nozzles having their discharge ends facing toward theconveyor, a flexible connection between the fan-casing and theair-distributing pipe, and raising and lowering mechanism connectingwith the said pipe, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In combination with the platform conveyer of a grain-binder, of apneumatic blast device arranged in front of the cutting apparatusthereof and provided with a plurality of curved discharge-nozzles.

7. In combination with the platform conveyer of a grain-binder, of apneumatic blast device arranged in front of the cutting apparatusthereof and provided with a plurality of curved discharge-nozzles, eachof which is formed with a horizontal outlet-opening.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDlVARD IIAFERMEHL.

\Vitnesses:

H. H. ELDREDGE, JAMES F. LAUD.

